Prior Claim
by QueenMilaAshdown
Summary: He is my mate and yet I don't know him.  They are our children and yet I don't know them.  This is my life and yet I don't know it.  Who am I?
1. Chapter 1: The Dream

**A/N:** This is one of my first fan fictions, so please give good critics! Also, I am going to try and keep the characters as you know and love them but sometimes there will be OOC moments. Otherwise, the story just wouldn't work! So enjoy!

He is my mate and yet I don't know him. They are our children and yet I don't know them. This is my life and yet I don't know it. Who am I?

**Disclaimer:** As much as I wish I did, I do not own Inuyasha and company!

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><p>Chapter 1: The Dream<p>

_ My entire body went rigid as a cold feeling of dread shot down my spine. A youkai was attempting to break through the barrier I had set up around the castle. Two deep, rumbling growls reverberated from both my mate and his half-brother. Sesshomaru disappeared in the blink of an eye, most likely off to find Rin._

_ "Inuyasha, something is trying to get through my barrier," I said softly, cradling Tomo against my chest._

_ "It's those damn dragons," my mate snarled. "Fucking bastards are trying to take the castle," I could see his eyes darting toward the doorway that his brother had vanished through every few seconds and I knew that his instinct to remain and protect us was warring with the one to go and annihilate the threat._

_ "They will do no such thing," Sesshomaru said coldly, returning with Rin in his arms. The child was sleeping soundly and he wordlessly placed her beside Chitose. The two unconsciously shifted closer to one another for extra warmth. "Come, brother. Your mate is more than capable of defending herself and your pups,"_

_ "I'm going to take down the barrier around the castle and set up a stronger one around this room," I told him, knowing that that would be more effective in getting him to go._

_ "You'd better not die on me, wench," he growled, planting a heated kiss on my lips before following his brother out._

_ For a moment, panic overtook me because of the three precious lives now in my hands but I quickly regained control of myself. I gently placed Tomo in his cradle, careful not to wake him. Once my hands were free, I set about shrinking the barrier from around the castle to the size of the nursery. I could feel my spiritual powers swirling around me as I poured it into the shrunken barrier._

_ Underneath my feet, the castle shook from the force of the dragons' attacks and Sesshomaru and Inuyasha defending our home. I fought the growing feeling of dread that we wouldn't be able to withstand this attack and focused all my energy into protecting my children and Rin._

_ My control nearly shattered, however, when Chitose suddenly screamed at the top of her lungs, lurching into a sitting position, her eyes locked onto the shut door. I barely had any time to gather myself before a youkai began attacking in that location. Chitose continued to scream, waking both Rin and her brother. Tomo began wailing while Rin and my daughter clung tightly to one another. It was in that moment that I desperately wished I had a bow and arrows within reach._

_ "Chitose, Rin, quiet yourselves," I ordered harshly, wrapping what little spiritual power I could spare around the three children in an attempt to comfort them. The girls stilled and with them no longer making any noise, I was able to lull Tomo back to sleep. Unfortunately, the youkai outside the room had already heard the telltale sounds of children._

_ "Mama, what's going on?" Chitose whimpered._

_ "The dragons are trying to take the castle," I said coldly, looking at her._

_ "But Lord Sesshomaru will stop them," Rin said confidently._

_ "And Papa!" Chitose added, a smile faintly gracing her lips. It disappeared quickly as she looked at me longer. "Why are you using your powers, Mama?"_

_ "In case any youkai make it past the guards, I am here,"_

_ "Lord Sesshomaru would never allow anything past him," Rin said indignantly._

_ "Still, this makes both Sesshomaru and Inuyasha more confident knowing that you are safe," I explained, eyes now trained on the door again. I could feel a dangerously strong amount of power building on the other side of my barrier and it was raising the hairs on the back of my neck._

_ "Chitose, I want you to get your brother and be prepared to run should I tell you to," I whispered, not liking the feeling one bit. I could feel my daughter's terror filling the air but she did as I instructed. The ever growing power was straining my barrier to its limits and I feared I wouldn't be able to hold out much longer. Gathering myself, I lashed out savagely, intent on maiming the perpetrator as much as possible and perhaps even finishing him off._

_ Luck was not on my side tonight._

_ With my spiritual powers now nearly exhausted, the youkai blasted its way into the room, causing both girls to shriek with terror and surprise._

_ "Run!" I shouted, holding this mysterious youkai in place with what little power I had left. It roared at me but the children sprinted past, Chitose in the lead. "You will not harm what is mine!" I snarled, refusing to give up._

_ However, my grip on it was not strong enough to prevent it from whipping one of its many tentacles around and catching me in the chest. I went flying and crashed through what remained of the nursery wall and into Inuyasha and mine's personal chambers. The youkai followed, his power hanging in the air. I knew without a doubt that unless Inuyasha or Sesshomaru returned, I would not survive this encounter._

_ "This is retribution, Kikyo," the youkai hissed. "You chose that _dog_ over me and now you will be forced to watch as I destroy everything that you hold dear,"_

_ "Onigumo," I spat._

_ "I am Naraku, Kikyo," the youkai said, power humming behind his words. "Onigumo is no more. He sold his soul to a thousand demons at the chance of winning your heart,"_

_ "Inuyasha will crush you," I growled, spitting out the blood pooling in my mouth. "You will not leave this castle alive._

_ "Perhaps," Naraku said softly, his eyes boring into me. "but neither will you," I had only mere seconds to gaze at him with pure fury before one of his tentacles drove its way through my body. The last thing I saw was Inuyasha bursting into the room, his eyes blood red._

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><p>My eyes snapped open, my heart pounding. I was drenched in sweat and my chest rose and fell rapidly with my racing heartbeat. I could almost feel the tentacle from my dream burrowing its way through my chest. This latest nightmare left me speechless and I barely had any time to collect myself before the door to my chambers was flung open and a maid stumbled in.<p>

"Lady Kagome, youkai are attacking the castle," she managed to get out between gasping for breath. "Your lord father wishes for you to join the rest of your family in the protected chamber,"

I scrambled up off my bed, already feeling the castle shaking beneath my feet now that I knew what was happening. I followed the maid through the winding halls and was practically tackled by Souta the instant we arrived.

My poor little brother was putting on a brave face for Mama but I knew how terrified he really was. I wrapped my arms around him in an attempt to offer what little support I could. We both jumped as a great tremor shook the house. Around us, some of the maids shrieked as the barrier around our house flared brightly in the night. Mama was clinging to Father's arm and his mouth was set in a grim line.

"Do you know what they want?" I whispered, my eyes darting outside every time a youkai attempted to get inside.

"They have made no claims," Father said gruffly.

"Then they seek only blood," I replied, the words slipping off my tongue without my consent. Father gave me a surprised look but his attention was abruptly pulled away as I watched in horror while the barrier surrounding our home vanished without a trace.

"The barrier has been destroyed!" a voice shouted from below, causing every female in the room save for myself to scream. My blood chilled at the primitive snarls and roars that now filled the night.

"Heaven help us," I whimpered, my knees threatening to buckle underneath me. Down the hall, I could hear the telltale signs that the youkai were approaching the room by the volume of the servants' screams. I wrapped myself protectively around my little brother as the door was blasted away, showering us all with splinters of wood.

"_Where is the priestess?_" a deep voice snarled from the lead youkai.

"We have no priestesses here," Father said, his chin held high even in this dire situation.

"_Lies. This place smells of a powerful priestess,_" the youkai growled, his eyes sweeping around the room. Dread settled in my bones as he settled his gaze on me and a greedy smile spread across his lips.

"_The priestess!_" more voices shouted as the lead youkai advanced toward me. I shoved Souta over to where Mama and Father were without even realizing it. The youkai didn't even bother attempting to do anything to him. All of their gazes were on me. I meant them all dead on, a grim determination in my eyes.

"You will not harm what is mine!" I roared, raising my hands and to my utter amazement, a brilliant pink light shot from them and incinerated the youkai before me. I stood there with my mouth agape, not entirely sure what I had just done.

"_Priestess! You will pay for killing our brethren!_"

I was just about to scream when something red flew into the room, resulting in quite a few of the youkai being killed. As the red blur stilled in front of me and my family, I felt my breath catch in my throat.

Silver hair hung to the figure's waist, shimmering in the moonlight while equally colored dog-like ears twitched on top of their head. Molten amber eyes assessed the situation while their lips were pulled up in a fang-revealing smug grin. A red hakama covered their body while a large blade rested on their right shoulder with practiced ease.

"Inuyasha," I whispered hoarsely, sinking to the ground. One of his ears swiveled briefly in my direction but he never removed his eyes from the threat before him.

"Oi, what do you lot think you're doing attacking a human home?" he inquired, shifting ever so slightly. I noticed that it placed him more in front of me than the rest of my family. "Or are you too stupid to even consider what that bastard brother of mine might do knowing the problem you've causing in his territory?"

Among the youkai, I amazingly saw glances of uneasiness, as though they hadn't considered this before. If any of my dreams were correct, then they had every right to be worried. However, I was only slightly sure of this fact.

"_We were told a powerful priestess resided here,_" one hissed. "_and that she had been the one to destroy our home in the east,_" Inuyasha snorted, clearly amused about something.

"Yeah, and I'm the fucking king of the world," he taunted. "If this female was the priestess you claim her to be, you'd all be dead right now, fucking idiots," His noise twitched and he swung his gaze to the window where a boy who looked no older than perhaps five or six years of air was now perched.

"Oi, runt, get over here," Inuyasha growled. The boy narrowed his glowing amber eyes at the hanyou, but did as he was told. His silver hair was pulled back, revealing ears similar to Lord Sesshomaru from my dreams.

"Uncle is getting impatient and wants you to hurry up this little detour," he said, glancing repeatedly at me. He didn't seem at all alarmed by the group of youkai huddled in the doorway.

"Guard her while I finish off the rest of the trash," the hanyou instructed. The boy's nostrils flared and I saw a flash of defiance in his expression.

"Why?" he demanded.

"Use your nose, pup, and then you'll understand," Inuyasha snapped, glancing my way again. "Anything happens to her and I'll let Chitose loose on you,"

The boy's lips curled away from his teeth as a low growl rumbled in his chest but Inuyasha whacked him upside the head.

"Do as I say and this'll be over soon," he said shortly. The boy huffed but took a casual stance in front of me, satisfactory for Inuyasha. He disappeared faster than I could blink, killing every youkai that stood in his path.

"Uncle is not going to be pleased," the boy muttered, crossing his arms in annoyance at being put on guard duty. He looked over his shoulder at me and I saw his nose twitch ever so slightly. His eyes snapped wide open and he whirled around to face me head on, his expression torn between amazement and disbelief. I squirmed uncomfortably underneath his heavy gaze.

"Is something the matter?" I finally managed to ask softly. My voice shook him out of his daze but he now regarded me with a new aura about him, as if he no longer minded the guard duty. His stance became steadier and I could almost see the tensing of his muscles as something came sprinting down the hall. A feral snarl erupted from him but came to an abrupt halt as Inuyasha regarded him with an annoyed expression.

"Go tell your uncle what happened," Inuyasha ordered.

"I am not leaving," the boy snapped.

"We're gonna need the bastard to do something about this," Inuyasha growled, gesturing to me. "The quicker you bring him here to sorts things out, the quicker we leave and can discuss this better,"

"So it is her?" he asked softly, raw hope leaking into his voice.

"My nose ain't been wrong once and neither has yours," the hanyou huffed, giving the child an odd expression. "Now get,"

The boy bowed slightly and then proceeded to jump out our second story window. I stifled a shriek behind my hand, eyes wide in horror.

"The kid ain't gonna die that easily," our savior said sharply, drawing my attention back to him. "He's got a quarter of youkai blood in him,"

"Was that Tomo?" I whispered almost hesitantly. Inuyasha's eyebrows shot into his bangs at this statement, shock evident on his face. "That was Tomo!" I gasped, realizing how alike the child and the man before me appeared.

"Sis, he never said his name," Souta said softly to my right, reminding me that the two of us weren't as alone as I had thought.

"But that was Tomo!" I cried, rounding to look expectantly at Inuyasha. "He looks just like Chitose!"

"You know about them?" the hanyou managed to choke out.

"I see them in my dreams," I replied, dropping my gaze as my cheeks flushed bright red. "Tomo, Chitose, Lord Sesshomaru, even Rin. But they're mostly about you, Inuyasha,"


	2. Chapter 2: The Claiming

**A/N:** This is one of my first fan fictions, so please give good critics! Also, I am going to try and keep the characters as you know and love them but sometimes there will be OOC moments. Otherwise, the story just wouldn't work! So enjoy!

He is my mate and yet I don't know him. They are our children and yet I don't know them. This is my life and yet I don't know it. Who am I?

**Disclaimer:** As much as I wish I did, I do not own Inuyasha and company!

* * *

><p>Chapter 2: The Claiming<p>

"You wish for me to do what?" Father roared, causing me to flinch unintentionally. The silver-haired man that sat before us raised an eyebrow slowly at his behavior. It had shocked me to no end seeing Lord Sesshomaru enter into my home, let alone him and Inuyasha appearing to be on somewhat good terms.

"If what my brother has told me is correct, then he has just saved your family from total annihilation," he calmly reminded him. "That entitles him to some form of a reward,"

"Not my firstborn," Father snarled as Mother clung desperately to me.

"Lord Higurashi, one way or another, your daughter will be coming back with us," Lord Sesshomaru warned, a flash of red appearing in his golden eyes.

"Is that a threat?"

"It is merely a statement of fact," he said calmly, not at all concerned with Father's rage. "She will either leave with or without your blessings. The choice is yours,"

"Why do you want Kagome?"

"We need not explain our reasoning to you," was the stony reply.

"Father, please!" I cried, casting a pleading look his way. "I want to go with them!"

"They are demons, daughter!" Father roared, his expression murderous, "They will kill you as soon as you leave this house!"

"Inuyasha would never do something like that!" I snapped back, surprising myself. "The Tetsusaiga is meant for protecting people, not killing them!" My mentioning of the sword caused Inuyasha's hand to fly to its hilt, a wary expression now on his face.

"Inuyasha, how much did you tell this human?" Lord Sesshomaru growled, the tone slightly alarming.

"Inuyasha told me nothing," I huffed, much to my amazement.

"Then how do you know of the Tetsusaiga and its power, human?"

"Kikyo," I whispered, holding his piercing gaze with one of my own. "I know because he has used it to protect Kikyo,"

"And what do you know of Kikyo?" the inu-youkai demanded.

"Only glimpses of her life," I said softly, finally dropping my gaze as my cheeks flushed bright red. "but enough to know that you mean me no harm,"

"Hnn," was the only response I got. I gathered my courage and glanced up at the inu-youkai again, catching a glimpse of his calculating expression before I looked away. My gaze came to rest on the boy now sitting a little bit behind Inuyasha, his head bowed.

"Tomo," I breathed and the boy's head jerked up, our eyes meeting. In them, I could see an immense pain but also raw hope that tugged at my heartstrings. Almost purely on instinct, I opened my arms and made a slight beckoning motion. The child practically flew into my embrace, burying his head in the curve between my neck and shoulder.

I wrapped my arms around him and gently rocked back and forth, feeling the silent tears he was shedding rolling onto my skin. This caused tears of my own to begin rolling soundlessly down my cheeks as the terror from my most recent dream set in. I buried my face in his hair, seeking the comfort of his presence just as he was doing with me.

"Shh, it's okay," I whispered, repeatedly stroking his hair in a steady rhythm in an attempt to calm the both of us down. His own arms wrapped around my middle, most likely to assure himself that I really was there. "I'm not going anywhere, Tomo,"

"Mama," he whimpered, pressing his face hard against my skin. That became my undoing and I no longer had to self control to contain my sobs.

"I thought I lost you, little one," I cried, "I didn't know whether or not Chitose managed to get you to safety,"

"She did, Mama, but then you didn't come for us," he sniffled, his hold on me tightening ever so slightly. "Uncle had to come get us because Papa was chasing down the youkai who had staged the attack,"

"Did you succeed?" I asked, lifting my eyes to the hanyou man who was regarding the two of us with a torn expression of longing and pain. My question seemed to startle him out of a daze and he looked at me questioningly. "Did you catch the youkai who killed me?"

"No, the bastard got away," he growled, the hand on his sword hilt tightening until his knuckles were white. "Haven't found any trace of him in the past hundred years since the attack either,"

"It was Onigumo," I said softly, causing Lord Sesshomaru's gaze to latch onto me as well. "He sold his soul to a thousand demons in an attempt to gain my heart. It turned him into the youkai called Naraku,"

A feral snarl rose from both Inuyasha and the boy I held close.

"That fucking bastard, he's probably the one who sent all these youkai here in the first place," Inuyasha spat, eyes flashing dangerously.

"It appears his fascination with this priestess is far from over, brother," Lord Sesshomaru mused. "It would be best to keep her close as to avoid more occurrences such as this,"

"Ya here that? Keep your daughter to yourself and this'll be a daily event," Inuyasha taunted, glaring at my father. "And I know for a fact that your puny human guards wouldn't even last through one more assault,"

"Father, he speaks the truth," I said, a hint of annoyance leaking into my voice at Inuyasha's tone. "And that is besides the point that I think they could help me better understand my dreams,"

"What dreams, Sis?" Souta asked, reminding me that I had forgotten about my brother.

"My dreams about Kikyo and Inuyasha," I replied, unable to help the blush that spread across my cheeks. The hanyou made a choking-like sound and when I dared to glance at him, his face was beet red.

"You have dreams about you and Papa?" Tomo inquired, leaning back but staying in my arms.

"But I'm not Kikyo, Tomo," I said sadly, shaking my head. "I only have dreams about her, that's all,"

"But you smell just like Mama!" he protested.

"We will discuss that later, pup, so mind your manners," Lord Sesshomaru warned, a hint of a growl rumbling in the air. Tomo ducked his head again and snuggled into me once more, a slightly annoyed expression on his face. "Lord Higurashi, you have been told what should happen if you refuse to hand your daughter over to us. I can assure you, she will receive the utmost protection possible whilst she is within our care,"

"And should you manage to catch this man you are claiming has attacked us?" Father demanded, his chin still held high. "Will you return my daughter then?"

"That is for her to decide,"

"Father, please," I begged. "Let me go with them. They have the answers I want and probably even more to questions I don't even know I have. They can help me find who I really am,"

We held each other's gazes for a while and then finally Father let out a heavy sigh.

"If that is what you wish for, then so be it," he said, his expression sorrowful as he looked at me with Tomo held securely in my arms.

"Tomohiro, help your mother collect her things," Lord Sesshomaru instructed, rising fluidly to his feet. "Your father and I have certain matters to discuss before we depart. You have but one hour and then we are leaving for good,"

"Yes, Uncle," Tomo said gladly, springing out of my grip and onto his feet almost as gracefully as the inu-youkai. He grabbed my hand and proceeded to lead me straight to my chambers without a word of instruction on my part, much to my amazement. Then I remembered he had inu-youkai blood in him and that they were known for their sharp sense of smell.

"What should I bring?" I mused softly, gazing at the sizable wardrobe before me.

"Papa kept all of your clothes, much to Uncle's annoyance," Tomo piped up, a large grin now plastered on his face. "You will only need enough to return to the castle. After that, you won't be needing much of anything,"

"If you say so," I sighed, tugging absentmindedly at one of my favorite kimonos. As my gaze wandered around my chambers, it came to settle on the decorative bow and quiver I had received but two years ago as a present from a visiting lord. While it had been a gift in an attempt to arrange a marriage, Father had refused but the lord and his son never did reclaim their offered weapons so I had had the palace guards teach me how to use it. I was becoming quite good, something Father did not like.

Tomo followed my line of sight and instantly went to collect the two items before handing them to me.

"Papa will be happy to know that you can still defend yourself," he said quietly.

"I am not quite as good as Kikyo but still capable," I corrected, running a hand over the polished wood. A thought came to mind and I quickly shooed Tomo out of the room after saying that I wished to change. He obliged, but only just. I could see the terror in his eyes at the thought of leaving me alone for just a second. "I will be as quick as possible," I assured him before shutting the door.

Now alone, I took off my yukata and donned the attire of a priestess; a red hakama and a white haori with a white ribbon to tie back my hair. Once that was all secured, I buckled the quiver into place and hung my bow across my shoulder. Satisfied that I was as ready as I was ever going to be, I opened the door to the impatient quarter-demon. His eyes became as wide as saucers as he took in my new clothing.

"Do I look odd," I asked self-consciously, shifting slightly under his intense gaze once again.

"No," he whispered, shaking his head ever so slightly. "You just look exactly like Chitose always described you as,"


End file.
